December 12, 2002

LEGISLATIVE ALERT

RE: A1913 (S1112) (Moratorium on Imposition of the Death Penalty)


ISSUE: A1913 (S1112), co-sponsored by Assemblyman Alfred Steele (D-35) and Assemblyman Christopher “Kip” Bateman, will create a study commission on the death penalty. On December 9, 2002, A1913 was released from the Assembly Law and Public Safety Committee. It is expected that this will be voted on by the full Assembly in January.


OUR POSITION: The New Jersey Catholic Conference supports this bill based upon the opposition of the Catholic Bishops to the death penalty, which is guided by their belief that every person has an inalienable right to life, because each human being is made in the image and likeness of God, who alone is the absolute Lord of life from its beginning until its end (cf. The Book of Genesis 1:26-28). The opposition of the Catholic Bishops is grounded in the Catechism of the Catholic Church and Pope John Paul II’s encyclical, The Gospel of Life.


ACTION:

1) Write to Governor James E. McGreevey, (The State House, P. O. Box 001, Trenton, NJ 08625; fax to (609) 292-3454, or call (609) 292-6000) and ask him to support the legislation and sign the bill when it is passed by the Legislature.


2) Contact your Assembly members and Senator and ask them to vote for this legislation. (A current list of legislators for each diocese can be found on the NJCC website: www..njcathconf.com/documents.htm)


Representing the Archdiocese of Newark, Diocese of Camden, Diocese of Metuchen,
Diocese of Paterson, Diocese of Trenton, Byzantine Catholic Eparchy of Passaic and
Our Lady of Deliverance Syriac Catholic Diocese